Hot-water-circulating apparatus.



No. 809,013. PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

A. B. REGK.

HOT WATER CIRGULATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31. 1898.

WITNESSES: EN 1? ATTO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 2, 1906.

Application filed January 31, 1898. Serial No. 668.618.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDERS BORCH 111201;, a subject of the King of Denmark, and a resident of Copenhagen, Denmark, have invented a new and Improved Hot-Water Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to hot-water-heating apparatus of that class in whichsteam is introduced directly into the water to be heated.

Hot-water heating apparatus of that class 'in which steam introduced into a water-heater is mingled directly with the water, whereafter itpasses into a reservoir in which the steam is separated from the water, have hitherto had only a very limited application to common house-heating on account of their uneconomical operation, lack of means for regulation, and in most cases their dependence on high pressure, which features are very objectionable in house-heating, but do not prevent the application of the system to some special purposes, such as particularly the heating of railroad-cars. 4

The object of this invention is the construction of an apparatus of the above-indicated class, in which a very economical operation "and exact regulation can be obtained by the same low steam-pressure that is now used in common house-heating steam-boilers. The novel features by which I secure this result are defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure represents a diagrammatic elevation of the system with parts in section.

The system is designed to circulate water from a heater through a radiator or system of radiators (not shown) by means of a flow-pipe B, leading to said radiators, and a return-pipe A therefrom. For the purpose of heating the water before it enters the pipe B a steam- Inain D is employed, having a pipe E communicating through a subdividing device F, formed, preferably, of several layers of wiregauze held firmly between iron frames F. This separator is located in a tank H, which forms a part of a vertically-disposed heating arrangement for the water. This heating arrangement is provided with a pipe M of smaller diameter than the tank H and ex- .tending'from the top thereof. The water is heated in the tank H by the steam escaping through the meshes of the subdividing device F and is conveyed through the pipe M to a separator-tank S. This tank is in communication with the pipe B, so as to supply hot water to the radiator system, and is provided with an overflow-pipe 0 from its upper part above the water-line. This overflowpipe leads through a pipe Gto a condenser, shown as a jacket 0 around the pipe A below the heating device. densation-pipe N leads down to the lower part of a tank K, which is connected with the steam-main D. In this manner the water overflowing from the tank S or steam con densed in the condenser C can flow into the steam-main D; but the water in the pipe N, being trapped by the tank K, the steam from the main D cannot get access to the condenser. From the condenser at the same point, preferably in the lower part, a pipe P gives exit for what air is contained in the upper part of the tank S and in the condenser before steam is turned on and also for all air collected and vapors generated in these parts during the operation of the device. As will be seen, some of the steam. leaving the tank S also finds an exhaust through this pipe. Ifdesired, the pipes O and P may be provided with condenser-plates. The upper end of the pipe P can be provided with means for regulating the air and steam escape. The means illustrated comprises a pipe X, into which the top of the pipe P opens. This pipe X is provided with an enlargement in the form of a tank Q about half-way between the levels of the bottom and top of the pipe VI. This tank is provided with a connecting-tube Z between it and the pipe A. The tank Q, which is, in

' effect, a regulator-tank, is provided with afloat R, connected by a rod T with a valve U, closing the upper end of the pipe X. When this valve is open, air within the pipes P and X is freely discharged into a tank Y, which is connected with a vertical tube V to'provide for allowing air and residual steam to escape from the apparatus.

When the apparatus is to be used, it is filled with water until the level in the separatortank S rises to the height of the overflowpipe 0. Some water will enter the steampipe E; but when steam is introducedinto that pipe it drives the water from it and penetrates through the gauze F into the heatingtank.

duced, and it will mingle with the water and condense, the condensation finally bringing the temperature of the water to the same temperature as the steam.- The hot water rises through the pipe M into the separating-tank.

From the condenser C a con- Here the velocity of the steam is re- IIO As it rises and approaches the surface of the Water in the tank its pressure is gradually decreased, and thus some of the steam condensed in the water is redeveloped, reducing the specific gravity of the ascending column of water in the rising-pipe M to about half the specific gravity which the same body of unmixed water would have. Even in five or six story buildings, where the distance from the separator-tank to the radiators farthest away is more than five hundred feet, the height of the rising-pipe M between the two tanks H and S need not be more than about seven feet to produce a-velocity of water about four times as large as is usual in common gravity hot-water heating. The steam developed in the rising-pipe M separates from the water in the separator-tank. This steam follows the water overflowing through the pipe 0 down tothe condenser, and it drives out the air from the condenser through the pipe P and condenses in the condenser C by contact with the metallic-surfaces, which are cooled by the Water passing through the pipe A to the tank H. At the same time this water is heated by the steam, thus adding to the efficiency of the apparatus. Any steam not thus condensed passes out throughthe pipe P.

The regulating system illustrated will now be described. As the water from the pipe N never reaches the pipe G, the connecting-pipes betweenthe tube X and the separator S will-be constantly full of air and steam only. When the apparatus is not working, the water keeps the same level in the pipe X as in the tank S. As soon as the heating of the water-column in the pipe M has begun the balancebetween that column and the unheated column in-the pipe X is disturbed and the column in the pipe X descends, and if the tank Q, is not placed lower than about the central part of the rising-pipeM the water will finally leave the pipe X quite empty, and the level of water in the tank Q, will sink solow that the float R- will go down and shut the valve U. The depression of the level in the tube X and tank Q results from the connection through the pipe Z and the pipes P and 0. While the valve U is closed the escape of steam from the separator is lessened, and the pressure in the latter is thus increased, the efiect of which condition is to lessen the generation of steam in the rising-pipe, so that the latter is maintained within convenient limits. Any excessive production of steam depresses the level in the tank Q and shuts the valve U, while a reduction in the generation of steam reopens the valve and clears the way to the pipe V. Although an-excessive production of steam in the riser M tends to cause an increase of the pressure over the water in the separatingtank and raises the temperature of the water in the tank, the valve U will continue its thorough control of steam generation in. the rising-pipe, so that even under high pressure of the steam the generation will never exceed what is wanted for lifting the water in the rising-pipe.

In the drawing the heater (radiator or system of radiators) is not shown, as it may be of any suitable construction and does not form a part of my invention. The pipes B and A, leading, respectively, to and from the radiators, may be arranged in different ways. The construction of the inlet of the steam into the heating-tank H does not form a part of the present invention. Any other construction will do, provided that it allows the water in the heating-tank to be-directly heated by'the condensation of the steam-,the current of steam being reduced in velocity and distributed among a great number of small channels before it mingles with the water, so that the water can be heated up to the temperature of the inflowing steam, the pressure of the water and the steam in the heating-tank being very nearly the same. It will: also be understood that as the regulatingdevice for the airescape has been divided out of this application and forms a part of a separate one filed October 16, 1902, Serial No. 127,500, it is illustrated only as showing one means which can be provided for accomplishing this purpose, the invention claimedin this application not depending upon its particular features.

Having thus described-my invention, I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an apparatus for water circulation, comprising a flow-pipe, radiators, and a return-pipe from the radiators, the combination of a steam-supply pipe, a heating-tankv provided with an inlet for steam, a pipe rising from the heating-pipe, a separator-tank con.- nected with the rising-pipe and: provided with an outlet for steam and water, a condenser connected with said outlet and located adjacent to said return-pipe, said condenser being adapted to conduct heattothe-return-pipe, an outlet-pipe for air and excess steam leading from the steam-chamber of the condenser, a condensation-pipe incommunication with said steam-chamber, and a water seal through which said condensation-pipe communicates with the steam-supply pipe to prevent the passage ofsteam from the supply-pipe to the condenser.

52. In an apparatus for watercirculation, comprising a flow-pipe, radiators, and a return-pipe from the radiators, the-combination of a steam-supply pipe, a heating-tank provided with an inlet for steam, a subdividing device located at the steam-inlet to breakup the current of steam into a number of small jets and reduce its velocity, a pipe rising from the upper part of said heating-tank, a separator-tank connected to the upper end of said rising-pipe and provided with an outletfor steam and water, a condenser connected with said outlet located adjacent to said return-pipe and adapted to conduct heat thereto, an outseal to prevent the passage of steam from the supply-pipe to the condenser.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDERS BORCH BECK.

Witnesses:

CHARLIE HUDE, JULEs BLoM. 

